Joe Fischenich, third; Wyatt Stevens, fourth; Zach Spinks wrestles strong in first round
JARED WILLABY
Windom/Mountain Lake Cobra wrestler, third-ranked, Jared Willaby claimed a second-place finish at 145 pounds in this past Friday, February 27 and Saturday, February 28 Minnesota State Class A Individual Wrestling Tournament. Willaby won his two matches on Friday, including a 9-4 win in the opening round over Rylee Anderson of Barnesville, followed by a 1-0 to move on to the semis on Saturday. In his semi-final match, the Mountain Lake Public High School senior beat Damon Schmalzreidt of Lake Crystal/Wellcome Memorial 6-2 to make it to the title match. In that match, Willaby faced Hank Friedrichs of Chatfield. Against Friedrichs, Willaby lost in a hotly-contested match-up, 2-1. Willaby and Friedrichs were scoreless after one. A controversial reversal called late in the second period had Willaby trailing 2-0 heading into the third. Willaby scored one point on an escape, but Friedrichs was able to hang on for the championship win. Willaby finishes the season 40-2.
JOE FISCHENICH
Windom Area Public High School senior, sixth-ranked Joe Fischenich, won his first match at 132 pounds on Friday, with a 6-1 win over Zach Buseman of Blue Earth. Fischenich then lost 10-4 to defending champ Louie Sanders, moving into wrestlebacks. In that Friday night match-up, Fischenich stayed alive with a 7-1 win over Cameron Whicomb of Atwater/Cosmos/Grove City. On Saturday, Fischenich gets a pin with 1:11 left in the third period to advance in the wrestlebacks. He then won the consolation semi-final 3-2, making him eligible to wrestle for third place. And then – Fischenich claimed that third place spot in Class A with a 5-2 victory over Nicholas Meyer of Kerkhoven/Murdock/Sunburg. Fischenich goes 35-6 for the 2014-2015 season.
WYATT STEVENS
Eighth-ranked Windom Area Public High School senior Wyatt Stevens pinned Brennan Holien of ACGC (Atwater/Cosmos/Grove City) in 1:30 at 126 pounds in his Friday opening round, advancing to the second round. Stevens won that round 3-2 in three overtimes to advance to the semis the next day. In Saturday’s semi-final round, Stevels lost to Austin Anderly of LeSueur-Henderson by a 4-2 decision. In the third-place bout, Stevens lost 6-4 in triple OT to Kyle Hennen of Minneota for a fourth-place finish. Stevens ends up 37-9 on this wrestling season.
ZACH SPINKS
At 106 pounds, Mountain Lake Public High School eighth-grader Zach Spinks wrestled eighth-ranked Phil Skeps of St. Agnes in the opening round on Friday, and despite a strong effort, dropped a 3-2 decision. Skeps lost his next match, which eliminated Spinks from the tourney. Spinks finishes his season 30-12.
* A Welcome Home celebration for the state wrestling tourney participants was held Sunday afternoon, March 1 at 2 p.m. at Mountain Lake Public High School.
*Below are photographs from the Minnesota State High School League Class A Individual State Wrestling Tourney, all courtesy of Windom/Mountain Lake Cobra Wrestling and the group’s Facebook page:
